Can holder



Sept. 15, 1942. L. R. sHlMoN 2,295,609

' GAN HOLDER Filed Sept. "8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @-Jgl M Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN HOLDER Leonard R. Shimon, Marquette, Mich. Application September 8, 1939, Serial No. 293,898

9 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates in general to holding and clamping devices and is particularly concerned with improved means for retaining cans against movement while dispensing the can contents.

The invention-nds particular use in connection with ice cream cabinets where the ice cream cans are disposed in a refrigerated well or receptacle in the cabinet.

With the advent of light paper containers for the ice cream, there is an increased tendency for the container to move, when it is attempted to scoop out the ice cream during a dispensing operation. This movement of the container has been found to be very objectionable. Not only is the dispensing operation materially interfered with, but the attendant is forced to scoop the ice cream with a downwardly directed movement of the scoop rather than with a predominating curved path of movement about the can axis.

While such differences in the scooping movements may appear of little or no importance, they are in fact of utmost importance and vary to a large extent the economy with which the ice cream may be dispensed. Extended tests have disclosed that where the attendant scoops downwardly, the ice cream is compacted and compressed beyond its normal consistency, but that the ice cream may be scooped in a curved sidewise path without materially changing the normal consistency of the ice cream. In cases where my improved device has been utilized for holding the ice cream can, savings of as much as twenty-five per cent have in many cases been effected.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an ice cream can holder that will positively and effectively anchor the can against movement in a cabinet well duringa dispensing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which may be removably disposed in an ice cream cabinet and conveniently adjusted by the attendant to anchor and retain the ice cream cans therein in fixed position, and yet may be readily released when desired to enable removal of the cans.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which may be utilized without damaging effect to the cabinet or cans disposed therein.

Other objects and features of the invention will more readily appear from the following deaccompanying drawings which illustrate several embodiments thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an ice cream cabinet having its cover removed to show ice cream cans disposed therein and held in fixed position by the holder means of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the cabinet, taken substantially on line lI-II of Figure 1, and showing the ice cream cans and the holding device in elevation;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a cabinet of the single can type, the cover of the cabinet being removed to disclose a modied form of the invention for holding a single can in position within the cabinet wall;

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing details of construction of the two-can holding device;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the same, partly in section;

Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the details of construction of the single can type of holder; and

Figure '7 is a plan view of the same, partly in section.

As shown on the drawings:

As illustrative of the herein described invention, Figures 1, 2 and 3 disclose the device as being applied within an ice cream dispensing cabinet, generally indicated at I0 and I0', for retaining ice cream cans therein against movement, It will be noted that the cabinet II) is arranged for holding a plurality of ice cream cans and that the can holding device is arranged to be cooperatively associated with two cans therein, while in the case of cabinet I0'. the cabinet is arranged to receive only one can and the device accordlingly arranged to hold the single can in xed position.

As more specifically shown in Figures 4 and 5, the device for association with two cans comprises a pair of arcuate-shaped clamping plates II and I2 in back to back relation, eachplate having its outer concave surface serrated or otherwise arranged to provide non-slipping engagement with a can body. In this instance, a corrugated liner I3 is provided and afixed to the plate by appropriate means.

Each clamping plate is provided at its opposite sides respectively, with a tubular extension I4 and a rod I5 in such a manner that when the plates are disposed in back to back relation. the plates are telescopically interconnected at eachside by the tubular extension receiving a tailed description taken in connection with the 55 rod on the other plate therein. Thus the plates may be moved together and apart, but are retained against relative vertical displacement.

Although various mechanisms mays be provided for moving the clamping plates toward and away from each other, I have found a very satisfactory arrangement to comprise the use of a pair of upper and lower cross bars I8 and I1, each of these bars being provided at its center with a threaded bore, the bores of the bars being vertically aligned to receive a screw I8. This screw is provided with right and left-handed threaded portions I9 and 20 which are respectively associated with the threaded bores of the bars I6 and I1 so that when the screw is rotated in one direction the cross bars will be moved toward each other, and when the screw/is rotated in the opposite direction the cross bars will both be moved further apart.

The screw I8 is provided with an extension 2l which may be fitted at its uppermost end with a suitable hand wheel 22 for facilitating manual rotation of the screw.

Suitable bosses 23 are provided at the upper and lower portions of each of the clamping plates II and I2 on their convex or back sides. uppermost bosses 23 at the corresponding sides of the plates are connected by pivotal link members 24 to the adjacently disposed end of cross bar I6. The lowermost bosses 23 are similarly connected at each side of the plate by suitable f pivotal links 25 to the adjacent end of cross bar I1.

The arrangement just described provides a series of toggle connections between theclamping plates, these toggle connections being extended and contracted in response to rotative movement of the screw I8 by manipulating the hand wheel 22. The device may be placed between a pair of adjacently disposed ice cream cans and, by manipulating the hand Wheel 22, the can engaging surfaces of the clamping plates may be moved into clamping engagement with the ice cream cans and force the cans against the side wall of the container well; thus clampingly holding the cans against movement, particularly rotative movement during dispensing operation. It is a simple matter to release the clamping plates relative to the cans thus being held, when it is desired to remove the cans or replace them with other cans.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be apparent that the device is readily adapted for use with short and tall cans. This is particularly advantageous, since there are certain fiavors of ice cream which will be sold at a more rapid rate than other flavors. Consequently, a merchant will purchase larger quantities of the faster moving fiavor and the fiavorswhich'are `not sold so rapidly may be purchased in containers of half size. Thus two half size containers may be placed adjacent to a full size container and the device provided with suitable supports 26, which may be made removable for supporting the device for engagement with the taller container adjacent its top and with the tcp-most shorter container which may Ibe supported on a similar short container in the cabinet.

Referring now to Figures 3, 6 and 7, a slightly modified form of holder will be described, this form of thc invention being particularly adapted for use in instances where the container well is arranged to receive a single can.

More specifically, the modified type of holder consists of a pair of arcuate-shaped clamping plates 21 and 28, except that in this instance instead of the plates being placed in back to back relation, the plates are similarly disposed with their concave surfaces facing in the same direction.

It will bc noted that the plate 28 is made slightly wider than the plate 21 and is provided on its concave surface with an anti-slipping liner 29. In the modified arrangement, the movement being hinged together as shown at 32. springs serve to guide the movements of the plates 21 and 28 toward and away from eachother, yet hold the plates against relative vertical displacement.

The actuating mechanism in the modified arrangement differs slightly in its mode of opera tion from that discussed in connection with the device for anchoring two cans together. In the modified form, a screw 33 having right and lefthand threaded portions 34 and 35 is mounted on the plate 28 for rotative movement in suitable upper and lower bearings 36 and 31.

Upper and lower bridging bars 38 and 39 are provided intermediate their ends with threaded bores for respectively cooperating with the right and left-hand threaded portions of the screw 33, the bridging bars in this instance being longitudinally curved to conform to the convex surface of the plate 28 and slide thereover when the screw is rotated. For rotating the screw 33, lit is provided with a suitable upwardly extending extension 40 having a head portion 4I for receiving a suitable actuating tool.

The plate 21 is provided with upper lateral lugs 42 and lower lugs 43. The lugs 42 are respectively connected to the ends of bridging bar 38 by means of pivotal links 44, whereas thelugs 43 are connected to the ends of bridging bar 39 by pivotal links 45.

As shown in Figure 3, the device is inserted in the cabinet with the rear surface of plate 21 in engagement with the adjacent surface or wall 43 of the cabinet walls. The concave surface 29 of the plate 28 is positioned in engagement with the outer surface of a can as shown at 41. With the device thus positioned, it is a simple matter to rotate the screw to move the plates 21 and 28 apart and clamp the cam firmly against the opposite wall of the wall 48 to firmly hold the cam in position against movement.

In both arrangements of the device, it will be noted that the actuating member is conveniently disposed so as to be accessible through the top of the cabinet.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides improved means by which an ice cream can may be positively and effectively retained against movement in a cabinet well during a dispensing operation; a device for such purpose which is removably disposed in the cabinet and is so constructed as to be conveniently actuated by the attendant; and which is of such character that it may be utilized without damaging effect either to the cabinet or the cans disposed therein.

While, it is of course, to be understood that although I have described in detail several embodiments of my invention, the invention is not to be thus limited, but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for holding ice cream cans -in ice cream cabinet wells comprising a pair of members, expanding means between said members, one of said members being adapted to engage a can and bind the same against one side of a cabinetl wall, and telescopic guide means for guiding the movement of said members.

2. In a device for clamping cans within a receptacle comprising a plurality of clamping members, means inter-connecting said members for guided movements toward and away from each other, and means independent of said guiding means operable for moving said clamping members relative to each other.

3. In a device for retaining cans within a cabinet well against rotative movements while kdispensing the contents of a can; said device comprising a pair of clamping elements, telescopic guide means interconnecting said elements for movements toward and away from each other, one of said elements having a can engaging surface, a. toggle connecting adjacent portions of the tops of said elements, a toggle connecting adjacent portions of the bottoms of said elements, and manually operable means for simultaneously actuating said toggles to move the elements, said toggles and guide means acting to maintain the elements in vertical parallel relation during their movements.

4. In a device for retaining cans within a cabinet well against movements while dispensing the contents of a can; said device comprising a pair of relatively movable elements at least one of which is adapted to engage a can surface, mechanism for moving the elements together and apart, and a pair of spring members respectively connected between their ends to said elements and having their ends pivotally connected, said spring members acting to guide said elements in their movements.

5. I n a device for retaining cans within a cabinet well against movements while dispensing the contents of a can; said device comprising a pair of clamping plates at least one of which is adapted to engage a can surface, means interconnecting said plates for guided movements apart and together, upper and lower link members having one set of their corresponding ends pivotally connected to one of the plates and their other ends pivotally connected to the other plate, said latter pivotal connections being slidable on the plate, and means for sliding said latter pivotal connections together and apart to cause said movements of the plates.

6. In a device for retaining cans within a cabinet well against movements while dispensing the contents of a can; said device comprising a pair o! clamping plates at least one of which is adapted to engage a can surface, means interconnecting said plates for guided movements apart and together, a right and left-hand threaded screw rotatably mounted on one of said plates, nut members respectively associated with the right and left-hand screw portions, upper and lower link members respectively connected at their corresponding ends to the other of said plates and said nut members respectively, and means for guiding the movements of said plates when said nut members are moved toward and away from each other.

7. In a device for clamping cans within a receptacle comprising a plurality of clamping members, means inter-connecting said members for guided movements toward and away from each other in one plane, and manually operable means independent of said guiding means for moving said clamping members relative to each other in said plane, said manually operable means including interengaged threaded members and toggle members operable by relative movement of said threaded members.

8. A device for holding ice cream cans in a cabinet against rotational movements while dispensing their contents, comprising spaced concave clamping members in back-to-back relation, a tubular guide member on each of said clamping members, a rod guide member on each of said clamping members, each member of each pair of said tubular and rod guide members extending in opposite directions with each rod guide member being in alignment for telescopic engagement with a tubular guide member, pairs of toggle members on opposite sides of said guide members lying in planes angularly disposed to a plane through said guide members, a threaded block member on each side of a plane passed through said guide members, adjacent ends of said pairs of toggle members on each side of said guide members being pivoted to the block member on that side, the opposite ends of said toggle members being pivoted to said clamping members, and a rotatable screw member carried by` said block members for actuating said toggle members whereby said clamping members are moved toward and away from each other.

9. A device for holding ice cream cans in a. receptacle against rotational movements while dispensing their contents, comprising clamping members, telescopic guide means between said clamping members, manually actuated toggle means for moving said clamping members on said guide means toward and away from each other, and removable supports for maintaining said clamping members spaced -from the bottom of said receptacle and for engagement with an upper portion of the ice cream cans.

LEONARD R. SHIMON. 

